No matter what
by Amethystfairy1
Summary: Japan long ago betrayed his family for his freedom, since that night he'd had the guilt eating at his heart. When the Axis go to war with East Asia, will he choose the path of victory? Or the path his heart has yearned to take? Why would he protect a nation who's face darkens with hatred when ever he crosses his path? "They will always be my family, even if I will never be theirs."
1. When everything snapped

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 ** _Hello! So, recently I finished Hetalia, instantly the asian countries back my favorite characters, my mind stared spinning, and this is the product! I may be using the wrong name for Hong Kong, but since he has like three I think it's ok. And, IMPORTANT, I probably screwed up so bad with in means of historical accuracy, it's probably about as historically accurate as Columbus using Google Maps to find out where he was when he landed in North America. Plus, I know each of them call China something different, but I made them all call him the same thing in this for effect. Plus Plus, Germany is majorly OOC. So, hope you enjoy!_**

* * *

Everything snapped when Taiwan screamed.

The soldiers had swarmed over the ruined town of stone and wood, fires were filling the air with choking smoke. The eastern nations armies had withdrawn, without any order in the thick blackness hanging in the air, one by one they had fled.

Hong Kong, the youngest, was gone, and now the girl only had Korea to cling to.

"NII-SAN!" She screamed as China disappeared into the smoke of the fires, his wok clutched tightly in one hand, ponytail of hair whipping out behind him.

Hong Kong had been lost in the fight of getting here, he'd disappeared into the fires and China had forced them to keep on running. To get the two of them out with a strong hand on each of their shoulders. It was Allies versus Axis, but at the moment, it was more like the east asian nations versus Axis. The rest of the Allies were no where near, it was simply China, and the rest of his family, versus the might of the Axis powers.

Korea gasped as more Axis soldiers plunged over the wall they'd been partially sheltered behind, they leveled their guns, their orders had been to kill, and they certainly didn't want to face Germany if they disobeyed. Unfortunately, they didn't recognize Korea and Taiwan as nation, for while the order to kill humans had been final, they'd been told, without any argument, not to attack any nations. But, since they had no idea what Korea and Taiwan even looked like, they didn't realize their mistake.

"Mei, look out!" Korea demanded, pushing his sister behind him.

Taiwan felt tears fly from her eyes as they widened and hollowed, the droplets sparkled in the air as she heard the shots, as she felt Korea shudder, as she felt him slowly stumble forward.

She was surprised when, instead of Korea's death cry, she heard the clear sound of a sword singing through the air.

Korea took a shuddering breath.

"W-What..."

Taiwan couldn't take it, she spun and pushed her brother aside, seeing he wasn't covered in a patchwork of bullet wounds, that their was no more blood than what had already been there, seeping into his overly long white sleeves.

Taiwan gasped as she watched a blur of white and gold sail by and another solider fall, unconscious, but far from slain.

Korea gulped hard, he was trembling.

"W-Who is it!? Who's there!?" She demanded, putting up her hands in an offensive position.

Korea shook his head, he'd caught a glance of their savior, he'd just barely seen a ripple of black hair and a spark of fury in the light brown eyes.

"It can't be..." He whispered as he staggered to his feet from where he'd landed on his knees from Taiwan's shove in shock.

"No need for the alarms, Mei, Yong Soo."

They stared up, through the thickening smoke, to the top of the wall, where a figure in white and gold knelt in a pose of action. Katana unsheathed and at the ready.

Suddenly, with frightening speed, the sword wielder shot from the top of the wall, straight past them, and easily dispatched yet another German soldier. His boots skidded with a crunch across the gravelly ground as his whole body leaded sharply backwards to bring himself to a stop, his sword pointed downward as the mans limp form collapsed to the side.

He turned on them with a face free of any emotion. Totally expressionless.

"I thought Nii...China-san and myself taught you two far better than to just turn your backs in a war zone." He stated calmly as he set the tip of his sword to rest in the bloodstained dirt.

"J-Japan...?" Korea murmured.

The very same, he nodded slightly, a single bob of his head.

"Why? Why are you here now!?" Taiwan demanded.

Japan's eyes narrowed, "I remember what you spoke of when we were young. What all of us, as small children, promised. No matter what."

He said softly, then he turned as faced the direction that China had run off in and Hong Kong had been lost in, his cheeks reddened in the intense heat of the licking flames.

"W-Wait!"

Taiwan flung herself forward, seized Japan by the shoulder, and spun him around.

"Your an Axis! Why are you helping us!?" She asked, his voice shrill.

Japan's voice remained steady, his face calm, his eyes wide and unafraid.

"You heard what I said. I remember what we spoke of long ago. I will not be invading your family, though. No need to be scared."

As the nation turned to once again face the flames, Taiwan wrapped very firm hand around his wrist and forced him to face her yet again.

"You act as though you aren't a part of that family." She said.

Japan's eyes, for one brief second, flashed both of disbelief and of a buried pain.

"And you act as though that is true."

Taiwan's eyes were wide and horrified at his words.

"This is the first time in ages you and I have been face to face, speaking ourselves instead of through representatives. The last time a conversation between us happened, it was over the dinner table, on that same night."

Both knew what night he referred to, that night to had been filled with pouring rain, but later, it had been filled with even worse, with blood.

Japan pulled his arm away with an expression almost of hurt, but of course, it was barely a phantom image, and than his mask of calm slid back into place.

"Stay here. Stay safe. I've ordered my troops to cordon off this entire area. No one will bother you so long as you stay within, just watch for anyone coming out of the fires, and keep a close eye out for Li."

With that, for the third time, Korea and Taiwan watched, helpless to anything, as yet another brother disappeared into the deadly flame.

"KIKU-NII!"

* * *

Japan gritted his teeth as he heard them screaming his human name, calling him older brother with love and respect he didn't deserve.

He tightened his grip on his sword. For them, it was easy to forgive him. For them...but he knew the head of this unorthodox family would never accept him home. The nation recalled the look of shock on both his younger siblings faces when he'd mentioned how he still remembered that promise. That promise on that long ago rainy day...

* * *

 _Kiku's bored hands flipped the page of the book he was reading as the rain pounded down outside, when Mei came sprinting in with tears in her eyes._

 _The unprepared japanese boy was violently tackled, knocking the book out of his hands as he threw his arms around his little sister, sobs wracked her body._

 _"_ _Mei...what is it? Whats wrong?  
"Nii-san just got home! He's hurt! He's all wrapped up in bandages that are stained with blood, he's so tired, he didn't even say a word to us when we saw him! H-He..."_

 _She hiccuped as Kiku ran his hands through her beautiful brown hair, trying desperately to calm her._

 _"_ _It's because of that dumb war! That dumb, stupid war! Why does Nii-san always get hurt when he wasn't the one to declare it on anyone this time! It isn't fair! Why!?"_

 _Japan sighed, wishing he was as wise as his thousands of years old brother._

 _"_ _S-Sometimes it happens...sometimes people fight...and sometimes people die." Japan said awkwardly as Li and Yong Soo, Hong Kong and Korea, both entered the room. Kiku saw their tear stained faces, their reddened eyes._

 _They both huddled up to Japan as well and it became quite clear that, with Yao apparently unavailable due to his injuries, that the duty of eldest fell squarely upon Kiku._

 _"_ _L-Like the book I was reading. In it the brothers fought, and one of them killed the other to claim the land." He stuttered._

 _"_ _What!? But they're family!" Korea cried out in distress._

 _Japan sighed, "Yes, but family's fight. They'll hurt and sometimes even kill each other during the times of war."_

 _"_ _Thats awful! Sure, we fight, but we always stay together, we always make up sooner or later!" The white garbed boy exclaimed._

 _Taiwan sniffed, "That won't happen to us, right, Kiku-nii-san?"_

 _Kiku blinked at the rare use of the honorific, but shrugged it off._

 _"_ _No." He said firmly._

 _With Li hanging off his back, Yong Soo under one arm and Mei under the other, the only sister asked._

 _"_ _We all promise we'll stay a family, right? We'll never hurt each other, no matter what."_

 _Japan smiled, and pulled all of his siblings closer, breathing in the scent of Mei's hair and tightly holding a fistful of Yong Soo's clothes, feeling Hong Kong's arms wrapped tight around his neck, his breath tickling his skin._

 _"_ _No matter what."_

* * *

Japan skidded to a halt amid burning buildings, eyes watering against the smoke. That day, that dreadful day in the house, hiding from the pouring rain. That one time that China, no, Nii-san had come home and not even offered them so much as an illusion that he'd be ok. Japan had been willing to promise anything to make his little brothers and sister stop crying. He had, and he'd broken that oath so easily. He'd almost killed his brother, abandon his little siblings in their times of need, and hadn't so much has shared a single kind word with them in many years.

Kiku Honda wiped furiously at his eyes with the back of his sleeve, telling himself it was the smoke that was causing them to water, and continued to charge into the blackening village, struggling with the thoughts and emotions he'd never once had to deal with before.

* * *

 _ **So, what do you think? I hope you liked it, please favorite, follow, and please review! Thanks!**_


	2. Trapped as the fires burned

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 _ **Well, I got a few positive feedbacks, I'm looking for more, please! Thank you so far for reading, please enjoy the next chapter.**_

* * *

Japan's boots pounded at the pebble strewn ground, wiping at his eyes to keep them clear of the tears being stoked up by the smoke.

Than he heard it.

"HELP! THIS IS, LIKE, TOTALLY UNCOOL! LITERALLY! I'M BURING UP IN HERE!"

Japan sprinted towards the voice, ignoring the screaming in his mind that what he was doing would only dig him farther into a hole he'd yet to try and fill.

"LI!" He shouted loudly, knowing hearing his human name would catch the young nations attention.

"LI!" Japan shouted again, turning around in a circle, straining his ears for a response.

"W-WHO IS IT!? H-HOW D-DO YOU K-KNOW MY N-NAME!? I-I C-CAN'T BREATHE!"

Japan locked in on the source of the frantic voice that had even lost it's little speech tick.

Japan ran down the street, arrived at a thick door that had been jammed by a falling beam.

Japan shuddered to realize that the beam had been placed there on purpose.

"Hong Kong! Li!"

The voice was weak, but present, split by hacking coughs.

"W-Who...?"

"It's me, Japan!"

"What? N-No..."

Japan scowled when he heard someone press their backs against the door, as if to keep it closed.

"I'd rather burn to death t-t-then get killed by _his_ s-soldiers."

That was like a knife to Japan's heart, but than...he'd been stabbed before.

"No!" Japan barked, stepping back.

"I am no soldier! It's me, really! Kiku Honda! Japan!"

The few shifting movements behind the door stopped, and slowly the person moved away from the frame.

"W-Why...?"

Japan figured he could answer that later, taking the chance that Li had moved away from the door. He slammed into it as hard as possible with his shoulder first. Pain shot down his arm and up into his chest, Japan ignored it and took another go at the door, this time it buckled.

Hong Kong stood there in his red and black attire with the overly long sleeves, one hand covering his mouth.

"J-Japan..it's really you?" He whispered, than broke into another fit of coughing.

"Listen to me!" Japan ordered as he seized Hong Kong's cloth covered hand and pulled him out into the slightly less smokey street.

Japan put a hand on each of the taller boy's shoulders.

"Follow this road back, run as fast as you can, take the first right you come upon, and keep going until you reach Taiwan and Korea, they are waiting for you in a place that is protected by japanese soldiers, they'll cause you no harm."

Hong Kong covered his mouth with one sleeve and asked through the fabric.

"Why on earth are, like, you help us? You, like, nearly killed Nii-san...why now of all times to you choose to come back?"

Japan released Hong Kong shoulders and stepped back.

"No matter what."

Was all he said, Hong Kong may have been young, but that day was forever seared into his memory.

"You...what about you? Why are you sending me back alone, why aren't you coming with me?" Hong Kong's language ticks had dissolved yet again in the both literal and figurative heat of the moment.

Japan narrowed his eyes.

"Nii...China-san came back after you, he obviously didn't find you. How did you end up trapped in there anyway?"

Hong Kong scowled, "German soldiers."  
He hissed, Japan's eyes widened.

"I was out here alone, trying to find a way back, when four of them surrounded me. I fought pretty hard. See?"

Hong Kong gestured down to the ground, and Japan started slightly to see the bodies of several German soldiers.

He gave Hong Kong a suspicious look.

Although his facial expression mastery rivaled that of his brother Japan's, a slight frown did appear on his face.

"I didn't bloody kill them. How much do you expect me to do with my bare hands? Strangle them with my sleeves?"

He demanded, waving his red garbed arms a bit.

Japan rolled his eyes slightly.

"Go." Japan ordered, pushing his youngest brother forward.

"No way! I'll come and help you get Nii-san! I'll..."

Hong Kong was broken off by another fit of coughing so severe Japan actually grasped his arm with worry creasing his features.

Japan locked Hong Kong into his gaze.

"I can get to China-san and get him back far faster than I could if I had to worry about you collapsing from smoke inhalation. Go back, now."

Hong Kong clearly was ready to argue about this more when Japan barked.

"Li! GO BACK NOW!"

The use of his human name seemed to be a sort of bucket of water in the face, Hong Kong shook his head, than said.

"Bring him back safe...Kiku."

Japan nodded, and watched as his little brother turned and followed his orders, running off down the street and disappearing around the first right corner.

Japan unsheathed his katana yet again, and prepared himself for anything he may face.

* * *

Taiwan and Korea sat by the wall, leaning on it as they watched the fires leap and dance into the sky.

When they heard coughing and the sound of stumbling feet, and a second later, their little brother burst out of the street and gasping in the relatively fresh air of the clearing.

"That was, like, freaking hot!" He exclaimed before he started coughing.

"LI!" Taiwan cried out in joy, springing up and sprinting to him, gathering him into her arms and hugging him tightly as he sank to his knees, his body beaten and exhausted.

"K-Kiku..." He hacked out.

"What?" Korea asked as he patted Hong Kong on the back.

Hong Kong took several large breaths into his heaving chest.

"Kiku...he saved me. German soldiers forced me into a burning building. Trapped me inside. He broke down the door and got me out. Hurt his shoulder, he won't be able to fight properly now. My fault." Hong Kong's voice was broken by coughs, he pushed them all out into his sisters shoulder.

"Kiku...where is he?" Taiwan demanded, snapped her head up and searching for the figure in the crisp white uniform.

"He w-went after Nii-san. Told me..run back here as fast as you can." Hong Kong explained.

"Nii-san must have passed by you, or gone down the wrong street. I hope he isn't it trouble." Taiwan murmured as she and Korea of them helped their drained younger sibling to lean against the wall, and they went back to watching the dance of the flames.

* * *

Japan ran down the streets, flanked on either side by rippling curtains of fire, consuming the buildings on by one.

Slowly, his mask was crumbling one piece at a time. Every second he didn't see the flashes of red and green cloth that signaled his brother. Every time he broke down yet another barred door, ignored the now violent throbbing and blood from the scrapes and jarring impacts of his shoulder, and didn't see China trapped inside. Every step without the sight of a brown ponytail flicking around the corner as China ran, every scream of his name with no reply.

Japan was crumbling under the grief.

If he had stood up, this wouldn't have happened, at the meeting Germany had suggested this ambush. But Japan, if he'd just, for once in his life, said straight up and without any dispute...

"No."

Japan clutched his sword in a rigid hand.

"YAO-NII-SAN!" He screamed, his voice echoed through the fires, through the crackling and through the smoke curling through the air.

He gritted his teeth at the sudden outburst that didn't even gain him a reply.

"I must find him...I must."

Japan threw himself forward yet again, the fires slowly creeping in in an attempt to consume him.

* * *

 _ **Ok, theres another chapter in the book, I hope you enjoyed! Please**_ ** _favorite, please follow, and please please please review! The more reviews the quicker I update! Thanks again!_**


	3. A new betrayal

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 _ **Get ready! This is gonna get intense, hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

Japan slammed into another door, his shoulder screamed with pain in a violent protest, but the white and gold garbed nation ignored it. He stepped back, and crashed into the door, breaking it down.

A hurried scan of the building showed that no one was inside, another place to check off the list of the places to look for his brother.

Japan stepped out of the burning home, rubbing his shoulder with a drooping head, when he heard a no-so-distant gunshot.

He snapped his head up from it had been bowed, and threw himself into a run once more. His exhausted limbs wanted him to fall to the ground, his shoulder was erupting into pain at each swing of his arm.

At last, he arrived at a pit, inset into the ground and surrounded by stone, protected from sight by the flames, and protected from the flames themselves by the stone.

Japan was horrified as he skidded to a halt just in time to see China fall.

The nation hit the ground hard, rolling across the stone covered ground and letting out a cry that was unmistakably of pain. Japan saw the burns on his arms, saw the blood seeping into the older nations clothes.

Germany stood there as well, it was clear he was hurting from quite a few wallops of the wok. Said wok lay several yards away, with a large dent it it from deflecting a bullet.

China was barely conscious, Japan suspected he couldn't even see more than a few messy colors and shapes in such a state.

"T-This is it..." Germany raised his pistol and pointed it at China's heaving chest.

"The day the great China finally falls."

Germany pulled the trigger.

As the smoke slipped from the barrel of the gun, Germany's hand began to shake slight. China lay still on the ground, his chest not covered in spreading red, but still moving up and down, the heart caged inside still pounding strongly, as it had for thousands of years.

"W-Why?" The nation holding the gun choked out.

Crimson stained the white of Japan's uniform as he fell to one knee, one hand held firmly over the left of his abdomen, his breaths unsteady and trembling.

"J-Japan! Why? Y-You..you took the shot!?" Germany demanded as Japan tightened his grip on his sword, forcing the blade into the ground as his form shook under the strain of his injuries.

Behind him, China's amber eyes went rolling up and his head dropped to the ground, arms going limp as he went unconscious, a shuddering breath escaping his lips.

"I-I trusted you...you lied." Japan hissed.

Germany took a step back.

"Vwat? Vwat is it you speak of?" Germany demanded.

"Y-You...promised me. No nations would die of this conflict."

Germany gritted his teeth.

"I said the younger nations! We spoke nothing of China!"

Japan's head was down, his bangs dropping to cover his face.

"Yet...I find Korea and Taiwan surrounded by German soldiers about to shoot them down. Yet I discover Hong Kong trapped in a burning building. Left to die by German soldiers that lay in front of the door where they fell from his strikes. Hong Kong had the mercy not to kill. Korea and Taiwan did not either. Yet if I hadn't intervened, they would all be gone now."

Germany's grip on his pistol tightened.

"I gave a very strict order not to attack any nations! If they attacked them, I will eject those soldiers!" Germany exclaimed.

Japan sensed the truth etched in his voice.

"I believe you. But I'm afraid I..cannot allow...any more harm to befall... China-san."

"This is our only option, imbecile! Our time to finally give ourselves a fighting chance against the allies! To weaken there ranks! To remove an entire army and nation from the conflict!" Germany cried out.

He was shocked when Japan staggered to his feet, leaning heavily on his sword for a moment, before removing it from the ground, lifting the hand covering his penetrated skin, exposing the badly bleeding wound as he raised himself up into proper stance for battle.

"Than...this is the moment when I'll say maybe, and I really mean no."

Japan raised his sword to point at Germany.

Germany stood for a moment, dreadful indecision clouding his face.

Japan took advantage of the moment.

Dipping into reserves of strength he didn't know he possessed, Japan moved with a speed Germany never expected of a man that had just been shot in the stomach. Japan braced back one leg, raised the other, and delivered a solid kick into Germany's stomach. The latter doubled over, and Japan swiped his sword to the side, knocking the gun from Germany's hand and sending it skittering across the ground to hit the wall to far away for Germany to reach. With a second pressing attack, Japan stepped on Germany's foot and punched him hard in the chest, Germany fell backwards, and unable to regain his balance due to his ally pinning his foot, falling to the ground with a thud and a cloud of dust from the dirt. The next thing he knew, his ally's sword was pointed at his face.

"J-Japan..." Germany warned, his jaw slack and his crystal blue eyes narrowing.

"You have no control of this situation." Japan stated easily.

Germany's eyes narrowed, "You're betraying the Axis."

"If that is the price to protect China-san, than I will happily resign." Japan said with equal calm and no hesitation.

Germany scowled, and for a few moments, the two powers stared at each other, neither backing down in the mental war that was raging.

Germany gave, his blue eyes darting away from Japan's brown gaze.

Germany matched his allies eyes yet again, than said, "Good luck dealing with Italy when he finds out you have a bullet in your stomach. The imbecile took off the second this place caught on fire and now I've got to go find him. I'll speak to you on this matter when we meet for dinner at that damn pasta place Italy is making us go."

"Deal." Japan agreed, removing his sword from it's position close to the blondes face and sheathing it again, the sound echoing a battle ending.

Germany stood without aid, rubbing his own arm, which appeared to carry a large burn.

"Get that treated." Japan ordered.

"I...I'm sorry." Germany said without looking up from the ground, before turning and breaking into a brisk walk away from the battlefield, not even bothering to pick up his pistol.

"Aporrogy Accepted." Japan replied quietly.

The moment Germany was out of sight, Japan dropped to his knees, his breaths short, his entire body trembling violently. He hadn't let on just how badly he'd been injured. But he still wasn't through, he still had more he needed to do.

Japan gingerly shifted, with a skill that he found almost comical to even have, he tore the less bloodstained out of his jacket's sleeves off, and tied it tightly around his worst wound.

 _That should hold it until I can get it properly bandaged._

Japan than turned all of his attention on China, the older nation was covered in unsightly scrapes that were slowly clotting up, especially around his shoulder area, where he'd clearly been slammed into the ground more than once. Japan soon noticed that China's arm had been broken, a simple touch told him so. Briefly he wondered how it had happened, but at the moment, all that mattered was getting his older brother to safety. He realized that China's ankle had also been damaged in the battle. Japan carefully lifted China up onto his back, making sure his injured arm was in a relatively comfortable position. He had to get him to a hospital.

And if they had enough room for Japan too, well, that would be nice.

* * *

 _ **So? What do you think? Looks like Japan's got some emotions after all! Well, please favorite, please follow, and please please please review! Thank you!**_


	4. The hate that never existed

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 _ **Yay! Here's the part I've been the most excited to write, I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!**_

 _ **Also, you asked for it,** **Mondmaedchen, and here we go!**_

* * *

China came too very slowly. It felt as though he were dragging himself, one handhold at a time, out of the black pit that was unconsciousness. Pain was the first thing to register, is shot down his right arm, up his leg, it covered his back and other arm in a lesser way than the right. The second thing to register was movement. China was moving, he could hear the unsteady pants of the person carrying him, he was quick to see he wouldn't be going anywhere by himself, if he opened his eyes and found that it was Germany's back he was on, it meant he was a prisoner.

China's amber eyes slowly, unwillingly, opened.

For a moment everything was blurry and warped, distorted visions of light and color, than, he saw that they were still in the burning city, the fires still raging all around them as they had hours ago when the spark had ignited the town. From the way the person carrying him had stopped, they were either lost, the person was exhausted, or in pain.

Or all three.

China had to squint in order to see who was bearing him along. His head rested on the person's shoulder, one of his arms was slung over to either side of the head of short, straight black hair.

China saw that he was being carried by Japan.

He wanted to yell, to scream, to cry out and jump away from the man he'd raised and run. The last time they'd spoken had been that night in the rain, when he'd fallen to the ground with his back split by that same katana at Japan's side. When he'd collapsed into a puddle of his own blood and waited for death to take him as Japan ran without looking back.

Jump, run, fight, of course, none of those escape options were available to his beaten, drained body, he doubted he could support his own weight much less run or fight, and his leg in such pain he could forget about jumping. Before China could make it known that he was finally conscious, Japan's legs buckled of their own accord, and China heard him let loose a short swear in his own language. China stayed limp as they fell, Japan collapsing to his knees but refusing to fall further.

China knew he should had put more effort into learning Japanese, especially when Japan had been very serious and learned Chinese at a pretty young age. Sadly, even when Japan had tried to teach him, calling him fluent would be an insulting joke. But, the brown haired man thought, at the moment, he was rather happy he didn't know what the younger nation was saying.

"I can't do it..." He moaned, now in words that China could understand.

China was still on his back, Japan still stubbornly held him in place to keep him from falling to the ground, but it was clear that he was tapping into everything he had, and was finally running on empty.

"I-I...am sorry. Nii...China-san. I-I tried..." Japan found everything coming out of him, in a moment Japan thought China couldn't hear, but was, in fact, listening closely to every word.

"I...just wanted my freedom. I never thought about how much I would hurt you. I convinced myself..."

Japan took a rattling breath that caused his entire form to shudder under China's weight.

"I hated you. I managed to convince myself I wanted you dead. But it was a lie. All a lie...you, Yong Soo, Li, Mei. I care about you all, as much as I tried to deny it. Thats why...why I betrayed the Axis and defeated our own soldiers. Why I managed to hurt my shoulder...why...I..."

Japan was looking down at his torso, a place that China couldn't see from his limited range of vision on Japan's back, silently thinking of the last of his three actions.

"What...?"

Japan started and stiffened as he choked out.

"Your...awake?"

"As off a few seconds ago, aru." China groaned, "Kinda wish I was still unconscious though."

 _I don't want him to know that I heard that. That I heard him say those things. I just can't give into him that easily, most likely this is all a trap._

Yao Wang thought as he heard Japan give a nearly silent sigh of relief

"Your hurt?" Japan asked at once.

"Not like you care, aru." China said instantly, he could have sworn he felt Japan droop a little at the harsh words.

He was surprised when he saw that the harshness in his voice seemed to give Japan a new strength. After a few heavy breaths, the black haired man, carrying someone his weight if not heavier, pushed himself to his feet once more. The flames of the still strongly burning buildings crackled in the background as Japan began to forcefully put one foot in front of the other yet again.

"I can walk." China said shortly as he made to get off of Japan's back, the moment he attempted to put his foot down, a jolt of pain sprung from his ankle, enough to cause him to cry out slightly, and Japan adjusted quickly.

He dropped sharply backwards and seized China's leg once more to keep him from collapsing, than pushed back forward to hoist the panicked nation back up onto his back, bearing his weight yet again without missing a step.

"Your ankle is hurt. I saw when I picked you up." Japan stated.

"Lucky for you, otherwise there's no way you'd have been able to hold me captive, aru." China grumbled as he still began to look for a way out of this situation. He wasn't about to let himself be carried the rest of the way to what he assumed would be a prison cell, so he remained rigid and on guard, attempting to keep as little of himself as possible from even touching his savior.

"I am not holding you prisoner." Japan said, China sniffed.

"Than why are you carrying me, aru?" He asked smartly.

Japan stiffened yet again before relaxing a moment later.

"I just...wanted to help you get out safely. If I had left you where you were, you would have been killed."

China couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Your telling me your trying to help me, aru? Even though we're enemies?"

"Hai."

Japan was silent yet again, and, after a moment of apprehension, China gave a defeated sigh and rested his head on Japan's shoulders, relenting to being carried.

After a few minutes, everything sank back in.

"Li! Hong Kong!" China exclaimed in horror, than, ready to bear the pain of his ankle, China began struggling to get off of Japan's back.

"I need to find him, aru! He was..."

"He is safe! Calm down!" Japan ordered sternly, leaning forward hard in order to stop the elder nation from getting down and injuring his foot further. China was forced to slide back up onto Japan's back, his injured arm still dangled limply past the swordsman's shoulder, but his good one was flailing strongly in an attempt to free himself.

"How do you know this, aru?" China demanded.

"Because I got him out myself."

"Eh?" China had drawn a blank on this statement, and had stopped moving.

"I broke down the door to a burning building, Li was trapped inside, I pulled him out and sent him running back to Mei and Yong Soo. He is safe."

"Why did you not go with him, aru!?" China asked in fury.

"It was a short distance, he was more than able to make it back on his own, and I had to get who I came into this town of fire to get in the first place." Japan said softly, not needing to speak any louder because China had his head right on Japan's shoulder in a failed attempt to see his face.

"Whats more important than making sure Li got back safely, aru?"

"Finding you before Germany shot you." Japan said, not bothering to hide it.

"You..stopped Germany from firing, aru?"

"Well, not exactly." Japan offered nothing more.

China scowled at the piecemeal explanation.

"Answer me, aru! If Germany fired at me, I'd be dead. But I'm alive, so how did Germany fire, aru? Did you pull me out of the way?"

"No. There was something between the gun and you." Japan didn't want to tell China, straight up, what had happened, he was certain it would guilt China into forgiving him, which was something he didn't want. If he was ever to earn forgiveness, he wanted it fairly.

China didn't know what Japan was thinking and probably wouldn't care if he did.

"Japan. What happened, aru? Tell me. What was between me and the gun, aru?" China ordered.

"You will be angry at me."

"What age is this, aru? I was sure you weren't a toddler hiding my sword behind his back and trying to blame it on Korea, aru!" China couldn't help but tease. The second he realized he was allowing himself to begin to care, he quickly reigned himself back.

"Fine." Japan grumbled.

"Me." Was all he said next.

China was beyond confused, "You, aru? What about you, aru!?" He demanded, his voice rising enough to cause Japan to wince, China's head was right next to his ear, their was no need to shout.

" _I_ was between you and the gun." Japan spat out.

China was speechless.

"You...?"

"Yes. I flung myself between Germany and you. Germany didn't see me in time because he'd already pulled the trigger. He would have shot you through the heart. I got shot instead. In the stomach to the left. It's a mess. It hurts. It's bloody. I dealt with it though, I tied it up with my jacket sleeve and I'll still make it." Japan growled in determination.

China resigned himself to silence, not sure what else to say.

 _I was sure he hated me. But he, got himself shot for me?_

China's stunned mind wasn't exactly sure how to cope with this. The same boy he'd found in the bamboo, the same kid he'd raised, the same one that had spilt his blood and shattered a piece of his heart. That same boy was now carrying him through a war zone, with a bullet wound China had yet to see.

Time passed slowly, neither spoke a word, until, at long last, Japan saw something and cried out almost in joy.

"There. That's the building Hong Kong was trapped in! I know the way!"

Japan felt adrenaline fuel his legs yet again as he broke in a run.

A few steps later he realized he'd gotten to reply, and strained his eyes to the side slightly to see China's eyes had closed had Japan could feel the steady rhythm of his breaths against his back.

 _All of this pain and fear, and he manages to fall asleep._

Japan thought to himself with a shake of his head, taking the first right and continuing forward, fighting to finally make it to safety.

* * *

 ** _Well...he fell asleep. Everyone, please, a round of applause for China, he fell asleep while Japan was trudging through a burning town with him on his back and he fell asleep! I guess he is badly injured, ok, I'll cut him a little slack. Even though Japan's the one with the bullet wound. Ah, well...please favorite, please follow, please please please review! Thanks!_**


	5. Finally at rest

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 _ **Ok, this was originally gonna be over 3,500 words, but that was way to long for me, so I spilt it in half, here we go, I hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

The sound of distant screams and gunshots reached the ears of Taiwan, Korea, and Hong Kong.

"Some of the soldiers have clashed." Korea sighed, sleep edging his voice. "Nii-san...do you think Kiku found him?" Korea then asked worriedly.

All three of them were curled up against the wall, Hong Kong had already passed out only a few minutes after he'd come sprinting, coughing and stumbling, from the flames and into the clearing. Korea realized a moment later that his voice fell upon deaf ears, for both his brother and sister were fast asleep, exhaustion taking it's toll. Finally, Korea could hold up no longer. He snuggled with one overly long sleeved arm over each of the siblings curled into him, and allowed the sleep that had been plaguing him to claim him. Less than five minutes after he'd become dead to the world, a wraith-like form appeared through the smoke and bright orange flame. Japan burst out of the town, stopping in front of them and standing with trembling legs.

"M-Made it..." He groaned, with his lungs burning from smoke and all of the effort he'd thrown into getting there.

China was still fast asleep, and Japan turned and carefully eased him off of his back to lean on the wall with the rest of his siblings. After Japan settled his injured arm in a manageable position, the second eldest nation stepped back as quickly as he could, feeling as though he were invading sacred ground by merely touching any of them.

For a moment Japan stared at all of them, drinking in all of their faces looking pure and innocent in sleep, not creased with hatred or apprehensive with fear. Japan sighed as he fell backwards onto the ground.

Lying spread eagle on the dirt, a good ways from the four people he'd just risked everything to save, he refused to allow himself so much as to lean on that same wall.

Feeling the blood slowly dripping from his wound, the pain in his shoulder growing, his eyes slowly closing, he looked across, and saw them.

 _No matter what, they are my family. I just won't be theirs._

Japan heard the cries of several officers, he relaxed when he understood their exclamations, all of them shouting in Japanese.

Finally, it was his turn, he could rest.

* * *

Taiwan opened her eyes almost regretfully. Everything had been so peaceful, she'd been in a dream of her youth. Racing through the rice paddies, holding an even younger Hong Kong's hand. With Japan leading the way and Korea skipping along as they all shrieked and laughed with glee as their eldest brother chased after them all, shouting at them in a sort of silly anger.

Taiwan had grabbed Japan's hand with her free one, Hong Kong had been stumbling along behind her, a smile had been wide on her face.

Japan had looked down at her and smiled, and he had said to her.

"No matter what."

Than he'd released her hand and ran off into the bamboo, and that was when she'd awoken.

Taiwan sighed as she rubbed her eyes, still weighted with sleep, remembering what they had all been like, before war and bloodshed had changed them from innocent children to mature nations battling eternally for power.

 _When we were all young and innocent.._.

Taiwan thought as she ran a hand through her head of messy hair.

 _That sure was a long time ago._

She looked around, and everything came flooding back to her.

 _The fires, Kiku came back, the battles, Nii-san!_

Her eyes darted around as she took in her new surroundings.

She lay on a floor bound bed covered with a silky soft blanket, she lifted up said blanket to find all of her burns and scrapes had been treated during her period of sleep. She looked around, a cozy bedroom with a large bathroom and soaking tub. When she looked to the side she found a dress in her favorite shades of pink and cream, with a flower clip to match.

Convincing herself it would be rude not to accept what her mysterious host had offered, she quickly shed her combat worn dress and filled the tub, than had the most pleasurable soak she could ever remember having. She washed her hair and scrubbed the dirt off of her skin. After spending so long in the tub that it had water had begun to cool, she got out, dried herself with a fluffy towel, and dressed in the outfit provided for her.

She was astonished to see it fit like a glove.

 _Perhaps they noticed the size of my old dress when they were helping me with my injuries._

She thought, than she realized something. That soaking tub, she'd seen that type of tub before. In a hotel she'd once stayed in.

In Japan.

Taiwan blinked as she twisted and took in her bedroom more closely, from the simple paints to the low to the ground furnishings, this was absolutely of Japanese design. For some reason, although she knew she should be fearful, Taiwan found herself relaxing slightly to know she was in Japan. Why should she, after all he had done, still feel at peace when she was in his land, she did not know. But for some reason, there was a great melting, unbinding feeling in heart when she found that she was in a country that would do her now harm.

At least, she prayed it would not.

She slid the door carefully open and stepped into the hall, she was amazed by the smell wafting up from the ground floor.

 _Delicious..._

She thought, feeling her cheeks warm slightly when her stomach grumbled.

She allowed her bare feet to carry her down the stairs, her slightly damp long brown hair cascading behind her, with a single pink flower clip holding up her bangs. She arrived on the ground floor, and was surprised to see someone, dressed in his usual casual red and gold attire, with a sling and cast around one arm and bandages binding his ankle, back to her, flipping eggs and rice together in a wok on the stove with his free arm.

"Nii-san!" Taiwan cried out in joy, flinging herself forward and wrapping her arms around the older nation.

China let out a shout of surprise, "Aii-yah!"

When he was seized, than he releasing the wok to rest on the stove and turning to his little sister.

"Mei! Glad to see your awake, aru!" He exclaimed happily, putting his good arm around her shoulders.

"I-I was so worried about you! I knew you'd make it out ok, though!" She cried out.

China sighed, "I wouldn't have if Kiku hadn't come for me, aru."

"Kiku...he actually got to you?" Taiwan asked, amazed.

"Not only that, aru. He carried me back to where the rest of you were, than got us all to a hospital, and we didn't even wake up, aru."

"Say, like, where the bloody hell are we anyway?" Hong Kong asked suddenly.

Taiwan yelped when she realized he was sitting at the table nearby flicking idly through the channels on the television in the living room, and Korea was next to him gobbling down his second bowl of rice.

"Li! Yong Soo!" She cried, the next thing the youngest of the nations knew, he was in a headlock hug, courtesy of his sister, while Korea stood up and walked over to the kitchen to get more rice, conveniently avoiding Taiwan's bone crushing hugs.

"Ok! Ok! I get it! Your glad I'm, like, alive or whatever. Big whoop, we still have no clue where we are." Hong Kong deadpanned as Taiwan let him go.

"I've got a pretty good idea, aru." China said from the kitchen as he began attempting to figure out how to put rice in a bowl without making a huge mess with one arm and Korea got out silverware for the rest of them.

As Taiwan and Hong Kong stood up to help him, Taiwan spoke.

"I got a clue from the style of the bedroom I was in."

"And I got a clue from all of this fish, caviar, sushi supplies, and insane amount of salt, aru." China grumbled, gesturing to the fridge, which, when opened, revealed a large stock of fish eggs, seafood, and other tell tale items.

"Japan?" Korea stated what was now the obvious.

"Yes. But I'm not quite sure where our host nation himself is. I searched the entire house when I awoke, but only you three were here, aru." China explained as, with Hong Kong and Taiwan's assistance, he set out breakfast, and Korea started on his third bowl while Taiwan and Hong Kong heartily took to their first's, and China himself began to eat as well, having to use a spoon instead of chopsticks since he was stuck left handed.

That was when there was a knock at the door, and a woman dressed in a plain blue on blue kimono, with peach skin and deep brown hair in a high ponytail slid the door open a few inches.

"I apologize for the interruption, may I come in?" She asked politely.

"Sure, who are you?" Hong Kong asked, snapping off the TV as the woman stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

"I'm Hana, I work for Mr. Japan..." She seemed rather flustered to be the one sent to speak to the four immortals, each great and powerful in their own right.

"No need to be shy, aru. What do you need?" China asked as he set down his spoon and looked at her with a kind smile.

This seemed to calm the nervous young lady, who took a depth breath and continued.

"I am here to tell you that Mr. Japan has said you can stay as long as you'd like. But if you wish to return to your own homes, I can get you on tomorrows flight, if that is what you desire."

"Where are we, exactly?" Taiwan asked.

"Mr. Japan's guest home. A short walk through the grove, down the path, will bring you to the main house where he lives." She said whilst gesturing in that direction with her hand.

"I didn't even know he _had_ a guest house." Taiwan mumbled.

"Big shocker, none of us have ever been here." Hong Kong rudely pointed out.

"So where's our gracious host?" The teen than asked.

Hana looked uncomfortable at the question.

"His condition...he is...well, it is not yet confirmed..." She said slowly.

"What, aru? What's confirmed?" China asked, worry growing in his amber orbs.

Hana looked at them sadly.

"I apologize, but at the moment, we are not yet sure if he will survive."

* * *

 ** _Yay, cliffhanger! I'm aiming for four reviews, the second I get four I will update, if I do not get four, than I'll just update when I feel like it. Which could be about two days from now. So, please favorite, please follow, please review! Thanks!_**


	6. Guilt and love

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

Hana looked at them sadly.

"I apologize, but at the moment, we are not yet sure if he will survive."

"Wait a moment, whoa, whoa whoa, _exactly_ how is Kiku, where is he?" Korea asked, all of the other nations matched the look of sudden worry on his face.

"Yes, is he ok?" Taiwan questioned.

"Is he, like, really dead or something?" Hong Kong demanded.

"Where is he, aru? Is he out of the hospital yet?" China spoke next.

Hana appeared confused yet again, "U-Umm..who?"

Now was all of the nations turns to look embarrassed, they all glanced at each other with sheepish expressions on their faces.

"Oh...right, sorry, we meant Japan?" Korea asked.

The woman blinked, "But, why did you..?" She was curious of the reason they'd referred to him in such a way.

"Oh, well, all of the nations have human names, and most of the nations that are close, or related, refer to each other as such."

"But Kiku means 'chrysanthemum' in Japanese. It's common name mostly used for females, I've rarely heard a male with that name."

Hong Kong burst into frantic laughter and started rolling around on the floor, right next to Korea, who was holding his stomach. Taiwan snorted and China frowned.

"Why didn't he tell me that, aru? He asked me to help him pick a name from his language, so I did, aru. He didn't seem happy about it but he took it. I don't get why he didn't tell me it was a girls name, aru!" China grumbled.

"Oh, man! I'll start calling him our 'chrysanthemum!' Do you think _that_ will finally be enough to, like, get him totally pissed at me!?" Hong Kong asked in a fit of barely restrained laughter.

"Anyway..." Taiwan said as her giggles subsided.

"Oh, right." The woman said, fiddling with her sleeves.

"I'm not supposed to disclose his exact condition at the moment. He is, for the moment at least, alive, though, he's in the hospital still. The reason you all were brought here was because you were still asleep from the sedatives you were given so the doctors could treat all of your burns and other injuries without you feeling it. So we decided to bring you here until you woke up."

"We all really appreciate the help, thank you." Taiwan side, bowing her head in Hana's direction in thanks with all of her brothers, even China, following her example.

The poor girl was even more flustered now.

"N-No no, it was nothing, please, it was our pleasure to assist you all."

She said as they all straightened up and China asked.

"Still, we'd really like to know how Japan is, aru. We all owe our lives to him now."

"Well...I guess I can tell you. Just please don't tell Mr. Japan I said anything or he might fire me!" She said.

"Deal." Korea agreed.

"If he does, come over to my place and your hired, or I'll just break Japan's face with my pan until he hires you back." Taiwan offered with deceiving sweetness.

"Umm...thank you?" The befuddled girl tried.

"She takes after you and your whacking wok, Nii-san." Korea pointed out, elbowing China in the side.

"I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, aru." The older nation grumbled with slumped shoulders.

"Well, his shoulder is dislocated and the skin is broken on it as well. He's got several burns on his legs and back, and many smaller, more severe burns and lacerations on his arms...and his stomach wound is the worst."

China's eyes widened, "What is it, aru?" He demanded.

"Well, the bullet was lodged inside so they had to do surgery in order to safely remove it. He just got out of _that_ this morning and I do believe it was successful, I'm not sure of when he'll be returning home, though."

"When the hell did the git go and get himself shot!?" Hong Kong yelled in panic.

"I don't know." Hana said softly.

"He still hasn't regained consciousness since he was found lying on the ground in that clearing, while the rest of you were leaning together against a wall."

"Can we go see him?" Taiwan asked instantly.

Hana looked extremely uncomfortable.

"No visitors, he's condition is not yet...stable." She said.

"Wait..so it's not even definite if he's going to survive, aru?" China demanded.

Hana chose not to point out that she'd just said that and the nations bursting into laughter over Japan's name had smothered the moment.

"...No. If he'd gotten treatment sooner. If he'd moved faster through the town to get to his soldiers, it wouldn't have been a problem, but he lost so much blood getting through the town. The fact that he's a nation is the only reason he didn't already pass. I don't understand it...he moved at a snails pace through the town. I may not be very close to him, but I know Mr. Japan, he wouldn't fool around if he was critically injured. I'm still in shock someone managed to pin him with a shot."

Hana admitted. China looked into his bowl of rice with a terrible guilt eating at his heart.

"Well, thank you. We'll all stay for now." He spoke with confirmation and no vocal tick, and none of his younger siblings spoke out about the decision being made for them.

"Alright, I'll make sure it is known that your all going to stay for the time being. Anything you need, just call the number labeled on the phone, and we'll be there."

"Thank you." China said, everyone else nodded, and with that, Hana gratefully made her escape.

Everyone settled down around the large, low table built for six.

"Nii-san. You sounded very upset." Taiwan said worriedly.

"Why wouldn't I be upset that Japan's life is in danger, aru?" China snapped.

"W-Well...I just..." Taiwan stuttered.

"Maybe he did some terrible things in the past. That doesn't change the fact that I raised him, aru. That he helped me raise you three, aru. Doesn't change the fact that his life is in danger now, because of me!"

All three of the younger countries stared at him, eyes wide.

"Nii-san! You can't think like that! Japan didn't get shot because of you, he's an enemy to our soldiers, it comes with the territory of being a nation." Korea pointed out.

"He wasn't shot by one of our soldiers. It was my fault."

"You shot him!?" Hong Kong cried out.

"WHAT THE HELL ARU!? NO! I DON'T EVEN HAVE A GUN!" China yelled.

"Sorry!" Hong Kong squeaked, throwing up his hands in surrender.

"I was defeated by Germany. Germany, aimed his pistol at my heart. He was ready to kill me. Than...Japan was there...between myself and the gun."

"He...took the bullet for you, Nii-san?" Korea asked quietly.

"Yes. Not only that. He than somehow stopped Germany, his own ally, he could have lost his position in the Axis for me for all I know. Than, even though he was bleeding out, he picked me up and carried me on his back, all the way through the burning town and back to you all."

"Kiku...he, like, did all that for us? Seriously, for real? " Hong Kong asked.

"I, I thought he'd never come back." Taiwan murmured.

"He saved us, aru." China sighed. "He hurt me and pushed you all away because he thought it was he only way to independence, he did it for his people, aru. I hate to admit it, but I don't think Kiku ever _really_ hated us, aru. I think he was just trying to do what he thought was best for his land." China explained.

Everyone picked at their food, unclear expressions written all across their faces.

"I think...I still love him. A-As my brother." Taiwan spoke first.

"I guess he, like, just had to do whatever it was he was told in order to protect his people or whatever." Hong Kong murmured as he fiddled with his chopsticks. "I'm still cool with him. Screw it, I still love him, he's as much my Nii-san as you all."

"He's...still the same person. Just look at what happened to him, he could be.." Korea gulped hard, "...dying right now. But thanks to him all of us are sitting here, safe. I still love him too."

China sighed, "We'll all stay until he comes home, aru."

"Ok."

"Totally."

"Fine with me."

* * *

 ** _So, what do you think? I really hope you liked it, this story is almost complete! The reunion is one chapter away! So, please favorite, please follow, please please please review! Thanks!_**


	7. Even if I will never be theirs

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 _ **Ok, so remember last chapter how I said the reunion would be 'one chapter' away? Well, I lied, it's grown. It'll be either**_ ** _thi_**

* * *

A week and a half later

* * *

Japan groaned when the door to his room creaked open, all he wanted to do was hide in his room and sleep, away from the world for the another two hundred years or so.

"Japan, are you awake?"

Japan stiffened when he recognized the voice floating through the crack.

"Hai." He replied quietly.

The door opened a bit more and, if Japan hadn't been expecting it, he would have jumped out of his skin at the surprise.

"JAPAN! WE WERE SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" Italy wailed as he stampeded inside with his arms flung out in front of him.

Japan winced in preparation for would be a very painful tackling hug when Italy was suddenly yanked back by the collar of his military jacket.

Germany scowled at his smaller ally, dangling him in the air.

"I told you before we came in here not to attack him, Japan dislikes your hugs to begin with and now he is injured, you think it'll be any better, imbecile!?" Germany demanded as Italy cowered under his covers, his head beneath the blanket at Japan's feet, quaking, and felt a ghost of a smile across his face when he realized that the nation was just as overly exuberant as usual. Once Germany had, grudgingly, apologized for yelling, the two of them decided to talk to the person they were actually here to see.

"So...how are you feeling?" Germany asked as Japan stiffly pushed himself up, unhappily needing Italy's aid and an extra pillow to get into proper sitting position.

"I've felt worse." Japan said vaguely as Italy released his arm after helping him to slide up.

"Like when you got hit by a ton of water, or blew up?" Italy asked dumbly, to which Germany slapped him in the back of the head with a fierce look.

Even though they were horrible memories, forever seared into both Japan's mind and body, Japan chuckled lightly at his allies antics, they were at least doing a good job of distracting them from the pain in his abdomen and shoulder.

"Hai. Thats a few of the times." He said shortly.

He than turned solemnly to Germany, if he'd been in good enough condition, he would have bowed, but in his current situation, he simple bent his head slightly, since any more would agitate his shoulder.

"I sincerely apologize for my actions in the burning city, I also apologize for any injuries you have suffered due to those actions."

"Me!?" Germany asked, "My friend, I've got a few scratches but you...I am the one who should be apologizing. I'm very sorry about what happened."

Italy, for once, sensing the mood, slid carefully out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"I do not understand though...why did you defend China? If you'd simply moved a few inches to far I'd have killed you. I don't get why you risked your life for a nation I've never once even seen you _speak_ to."

Japan frowned, he knew he'd have to give up the story sooner or later, but he thought it had been common knowledge, what his relationship had once been with the older country.

"You don't know..." He muttered in confusion, again wondering exactly how Germany didn't know. Than again, Germany didn't get out much and was pretty abrasive, so it wasn't really that surprising.

"China...is to me and several other nations what they call in my language, Nii-san." Japan started.

"What does that mean?"

Japan glanced to one side, and Germany looked on with worry creasing his brow.

"Older brother." Japan stated.

"No! Your related to China?" Germany exclaimed in horror, realizing now why Japan had gone to such drastic measures to protect the asian country.

"Well, I do not know if we share any blood, but...when I was very young, several nations took notice of me only to forget about me. The last of them abandon me, alone in a bamboo forest, I was barely two feet tall. I spent several days and nights out there, starved and terrified of what was to become of me."

Japan let out an amused huff as he thought back to the time that was some of the first moments he could truly remember.

"N..China-san found me at last. I was the first nation he took in. He took me back to his home surrounded by the peaceful forest and told me he would never leave me like the others did. I believed him. No matter how much trouble I caused, blowing things up and spilling things everywhere. No matter how many times he'd shout out 'Aii-yah, Japan!' when he came dashing through the door to find me lying on the ground next to a blown up stove, covered in rice, he never tried to get rid of me. Never even threatened too."

 ** _(Check out my other Hetalia story, 'All the trouble that your worth' for more of Japan making things explode!)_**

"You blew up a stove? On accident?" Germany asked incredulously.

Japan looked almost embarrassed, or, as embarrassed as he could look.

"Several times. And the frier. And the steamer. And the blender we got to, but only the once. Not to mention spilled rice and ink across the floor and broke all sorts of vases and plates."

"On accident? You? Blew stuff up and spilled things and broke things? God, this was like a different person." Germany murmured.

"It was a very long time ago. I _was_ a different person back then." Japan restated, resting back on his pillows for a moment before continuing.

"Later, Taiwan, Korea, and Hong Kong came, he had to deal with all of us, all when we were, while not human years, but physically and mostly mentally, under ten years old. We'd drive him crazy, drawing on his scrolls, getting into fights, knocking things over and getting ourselves hurt. Jumping on his back, too, we'd _always_ manage to all leap on him at once the one day he's got the worst back pain. He'd yell at us and we'd pull all of the same screw ups the very next day."

Japan seemed to be caught up in memories.

"But than, after we'd all gotten older, hit growth spurts, gotten important, started to diverse into different exports and interests. I was the oldest other than China-san. One night I decided, that I couldn't be China's oldest little brother anymore. I...I took China-san by surprise one night. All of the others were asleep, I'd asked him to come out to the deck with me. It was something we did often, sit out on the back deck and argue about what the rabbit on the moon was doing that night. Instead, I pulled out my katana when he sat by my side, he looked up and stared at me, but he still had that warm smile on his face. Last time that I would see it, 'Don't go pointing that thing at people you don't want to hurt, aru' he said...but I didn't listen..."

Japan trailed off, eyes unfocused as he stopped speaking.

Germany had already figured out what had happened.

"You...gained your independence." He tried.

Japan shook his head slightly, snapping himself back to the present.

"Hai. That is correct. Since that day I've never once looked at any of them without seeing their faces darken with hatred. Or looking heartbroken. China-san and I have only spoken through representatives since than, and when we both happen to be at a world conference, we barely ever match eyes, much less speak to each other."

Germany looked dumbstruck.

"But you...risked so much to save them, even though they all hate you?"

Germany asked, "You were trying to gain their forgiveness?"  
"No."  
Japan said instantly, his shoulders dropping even though he was in an extremely limited position with his wounds.

"I have decided something, I did so the second I scaled that wall and saw your soldiers about to murder Korea when he tried to protect Taiwan."  
He looked up, a depth of sadness in his bottomless brown eyes, making contact with Germany's striking blue.

"They'll always be my family. I just won't be theirs."

Germany blinked, Japan couldn't be their family, but they were his. How much worse of a feeling could their be? Loving your brothers and sister but not having them even view you as a brother themselves?

He looked up as Japan slumped back onto his pillows with a deflating sigh.

"I-I...I believe you'll be going home later this afternoon. Italy and I will come back to help you get settled. Oh, and I stripped every one of the soldiers that attacked you, they all have to be starting back from the beginning to be in the military again."

"Arigato." Japan said.

"Goodbye, then, Japan, and...I'm sorry."

Japan gave no response as the blonde left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Japan laid back and stared up at the ceiling for a while before feeling himself beginning to lose his grip on reality, and slip off into dreams.

"I just won't be theirs..." He whispered.

"But they'll always be mine, no matter what."


	8. The broken family

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 ** _Alright, the reunion! Let's go, this is gonna be extra fluff! Also, please review when you finish reading!_**

* * *

Later that afternoon, in Japan's guest house

* * *

"I KNEW IT! YOU HID AN ACE IN YOUR SLEEVE YOU LITTLE CHEATER!"

Taiwan's screech broke the serenity of the deck of the guest home.

She yanked her pan out from under her dress as Korea wailed something along the lines of, 'Please don't murder me or if you do at least make it quick and relatively painless, da-ze!' before taking off into the yard, the cards getting ripped off of the table as Taiwan took off after him.

"You know, Nii-san." Hong Kong began, lowering his phone, which he'd been checking between turns, as the two of them watched from their seats on the floor next to the table.

"I thought that being, like, trapped here with my family would be, like, totally boring, but it's actually been pretty fun."

China smiled, "Glad you think so, aru."

The long haired nation looked back out at all of them, a smile gracing his face as he raised his left hand to pick up a few of the cards that had landed on him, for his right was still confined in a cast.

"We really should get everyone together like this more, aru. You can always drop by if your in town, Li." China said, turning to his youngest brother.

"Maybe I will." The teen said, returning the older nations glance.

That was when China stiffened, as did Hong Kong, when they heard a not-so-distant sound of a car door slamming.

Taiwan and Korea froze in their mad dash around the yard and everyone whipped their heads to look down the path through the foliage.

Without a word they all dropped what they were holding, pan, cards, and phones, clattered to the ground as they took off silently down the path.

They pushed aside the leaves and peered out from their hiding place in a well groomed bush as someone opened the back door to a sleek black car.

They realized that the one opening the door was Italy, his infamous curl bouncing in the hair as he reached into the car.

The brown haired nation gently gripped the passengers arm, and the head of black hair that rose up was as unmistakable, as the hiss of pain he let out as he put one foot out of the car to plant firmly to the gravel road.

The one leaning on Italy was none other than the man they'd been waiting almost two weeks for.

"It's Kiku..." Taiwan stated the obvious as Germany got out of the back behind Japan, one of his strong hands firmly on his friends uninjured shoulder as they guided him towards the house, allowing him to stand alone after a moment, but at his side to catch him should he happen to fall.

The black haired nation's eyes shot instantly to the path, and all of his family members dropped behind the bushes and held their breath.

Finally, Hong Kong peeked back over and beckoned to his siblings, it was safe to peer back out again.

Japan was in pain, it was clear from fifty feet away half buried in a shrub.

There was a patch on one of his cheeks from a cut he'd received, and his face went a shade paler every time he took a step.

Germany and Italy were still relieved to see Japan walking, while with great difficulty, pretty much on his own. They knew that, with the aid of a wall and a crutch, he'd be able to manage at home alone until they came again the next day. China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea all huddled behind the shrub, somehow they already had leaves in their hair. They watched as Italy released Japan's arm long enough to open the door to the house before instantly returning to his injured friends side.

The asian nations took their chance to move closer to the house as the Axis powers disappeared into the old fashioned home.

China put up a hand, telling them to wait, than sprinted and rolled to lean against the wall of the back deck.

"Amazing for having a broken arm, right?" Taiwan whispered to her brothers, who both nodded to show their agreement.

China held up one finger, meaning one at a time, and than gestured for them to follow.

Korea was pushed forward by his sister, and he dove, rolling half way across the open area before sliding across the grass on the balls of his feet the rest of the way to the back deck wall. Where he shot his little brother a cocky smile after his crossing.

Hong Kong furrowed his thick eyebrows, eyes narrow, then jumped up and dashed out into the clearing, doing a handspring and landing next to the wall in a crouch.

China and Korea both raised their eyebrows at him, to which he said proudly.

"You all thought I could only do things with my thumbs on keyboards."

Taiwan had a determined look on her face as she took off from the bush, she performed one, two, three back handsprings before doing a complete revolution in mid-air, her hair flipping wildly and her pink dress billowing, she looked like a flowers blossom that had just been tossed into the breeze. She hit the ground with not even a thump, landing next to her brothers, who all stared at her, stunned.

"That just turned into a flip contest, and I just won, agreed?" She asked.

All of them nodded dumbly.

"Great, now let's shut up."

They did just that, holding their breaths and staring up at the edge of the porch, waiting for the sound of the two axis powers taking their leave.

At last, the front door slid open.

"Bye bye, Japan! Hope you feel better soon!" Italy sang.

"Call us if you need _anything_!" Germany shouted sternly, the two of them got back into the car, and the driver pulled away, disappearing back up the thin bumpy gravel street.

The moment they were out of the picture, all of them walked around the house and up to the front door.

"Locked." China grumbled as he tried the traditional sliding door.

"Oh, move, Grandpa." Hong Kong said with a sort of humorous tone in his voice as pushed China aside.

He reached up his sleeve and produced a metal tool with several thin wires.

The youngest of the family knelt before the door and inserted the wires into the lock, twisting them a couple of times, than removing them, fixing something, and inserting them again.

A moment later Hong Kong smirked, stood, and slid the door open with a soft clunk.

"Piece'a cake. Kiku needs to up his security."

"I'll talk to you about how many homes you've broken into later, aru." China said in a parental manner as he stepped inside. Hong Kong raised his hands defensively.

"I haven't broken into any, well, not that many...well, like, how many is many?"

His question remained unanswered as they moved silently through the house until they reached the living room. When they did China, who was in the lead, peeked in, and the way his body started when he looked, it was obvious that someone was inside.

Japan lay on a futon that had been set out facing his TV, he had a glass of water on the table by his side and several copies of manga.

At the moment it was clear that the small amount of exercise had exhausted him, his face was pale and he was lying with his eyes closed, his head resting on the pillows, his breath short and his forehead slicked with sweat.

China crept silently across the hall, followed by the others, they had intended to sneak into the kitchen, but Japan wasn't that subdued.

"Intruders shall receive no mercy! Who's there!?" He demanded, wincing when his voice cracked from sudden use.

He pushed to sit up and hissed in pain from his stomach wound twisting.

Japan still managed to turn himself to look into the hallway, just in time to see an arm disappear behind the wall of the hallway.  
An arm draped in overly long white sleeves that could belong to no one else.

"Y-Yong Soo...? Is that you?" Japan questioned.

Taiwan shot Korea a dirty look as Korea shrugged sheepishly.

Finally, Hong Kong rolled his eyes and shoved Korea out into the room hard enough for him to trip and fall on his face about a foot from Japan's futon.

Korea raised his head to stare into Japan's pure brown eyes.

Japan stared back at him with a look of totally blank confusion on his face.

"Sorry w-we...I mean me and...I mean _I_ dropped in like this. S-So...how are you feeling?" Korea asked in an attempt to make this seem normal.

"Idiot." Taiwan grumbled as China slapped himself in the forehead and Hong Kong rolled his eyes.

"Why are you still here? You should have left with the others when you felt better." Japan said coldly.

"Oh, screw it. Sup, Kiku?"

Hong Kong stepped out into the room.

"Y-Your..." Japan didn't believe it. He thought he'd never see the day when his family would be gathered under _his_ roof.

Taiwan came out.

"Are you ok, Kiku?" She asked worriedly, her hair rippling down as she leaned out from the wall, her head appearing with her locks cascading down beneath her.

 _Of course these two couldn't act without a brain._

Japan thought.

"Fine." The injured nation hissed shortly.

That was when China stepped out from the hallway and stood framed in the doorway, he and Japan matched eyes, no one spoke, Korea scrambled up to sit on his knees on the floor and gulped, looking between his two older brothers staring each other down.

"C-China-san?" Japan stuttered.

"Japan. Good to see you home safe, aru." China replied rigidly.

Korea's eyes darted from Japan's hardened face, to China's, calm and placid.

They were frozen, for this was the moment a broken, distant family just might repair itself, that something long ago shattered just might slide back into place.

* * *

 _ **Well, Japan and China are having a glare down! Who knows, will that change? Please favorite, please follow, please review! Thanks!**_


	9. The only one who hasn't forgiven

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 _ **Ok, here we go. Japan and China are finally being forced to talk to each other! Prepare for the feel attack!**_

* * *

That was when China stepped out from the hallway and stood framed in the doorway, he and Japan matched eyes, no one spoke, Korea scrambled up to sit on his knees on the floor and gulped, looking between his two older brothers staring each other down.

"C-China-san?" Japan stuttered.

"Japan. Good to see you home safe, aru." China replied rigidly.

Korea's eyes darted from Japan's hardened face, to China's, calm and placid.

They were frozen, for this was the moment a broken, distant, family just might repair itself, that something long ago shattered just might slide back into place.

"I'll make tea. You two will help me." Taiwan said suddenly.

"Why do you need, like, three people just to make..." Hong Kong began but Taiwan just seized his arm.

"We'll be right back." She said as she grabbed Korea and dragged him across the floor behind her while pulling a stumbling Hong Kong with the other arm down the hallway.

Japan sighed and shook his head slightly when he heard Taiwan beginning to search for the correct room, opening and closing doors.

"Kitchen is other direction!"

He called after them, cupping his good arms hand around his mouth.

"I-I knew that!" Taiwan stuttered as she reappeared in the hall and moved across in the correct direction, still pulling along her two little brothers.

"Seeing as none of you have ever set foot in my home before, I find that hard to believe." Japan murmured under his breath.

China said nothing, but Japan wasn't about to allow the stiffness of the entire situation to affect his image and hospitality.

"Please, take a seat." Japan said as he, barely containing a stream of curses from the pain in his shoulder and stomach, pushed himself up into sitting position, even though he was unable to tuck his legs underneath himself, he felt better facing China when he was upright.

"How are you feeling, aru?" China asked politely as he accepted the offer and took a seat by the table.

"Fine. Stiff, but fine. Yourself?" Japan lied, only adding an ounce of truth to the statement.

"I'm alive and breathing, all of us are thanks to you, aru." China said.

Japan lowered his head, China noted how his hands were twisting with his blanket, "It was nothing." He said shortly.

China looked up at him, Japan was avoiding his gaze, and China saw it just in the way he was sitting.

"You can lie down, your in pain, aru." China suggested.

"I said I'm fine." Japan said a bit more sharply than intended.

China rolled his eyes, obviously he didn't believe Japan's words, and moved over to Japan. The older of the two gave him one good shove to the uninjured shoulder, the nation slumped back onto the pillows, unable to hold himself up against the pressure.

"Of course you are, aru." China said as Japan propped himself up on the stack of three pillows, moving them into a single stack so he could lean back on them and still be pretty much sitting up.

Japan still didn't look China in the eye, he opted for noticing the cast on his arm instead.

"Your arm..is it..?"

"Just broken, it could have been worse, aru." China said, waving it off with a nonchalant shake of his head.

Than China got down to the question he'd been wishing to ask his once alienated little brother the entire time he'd been in Japan.

"Why?" He breathed.

Japan glanced up, but barely made eye contact with him for an instant before his gaze darted back to the blankets of his futon again, where his hands had gone still as he stared at them, recalling what those two hands had done less than two weeks past.

"I...do not know what you mean."

"Why did you do that, aru? YOU COULD HAVE DIED!" China screamed in Japan's face. Japan's head snapped up and his eyes were wide, he stared into China's amber eyes with a look of astonishment on his face.

China was lividly angry, and knew that Japan was, while putting up a strong facade, very timid and careful at heart. He especially reacted to loud, _unnecessarily_ loud, sounds and voices.

"You could have died, Kiku. I don't know if that's actually set in yet, _you could have died!_ Two inches! If you'd moved just a little to much to one side, he would have killed you!" China's voice echoed through the house, each specified jab of his words causing the younger nation to filch.

Japan looked at him with an almost sad expression on his face.

"If I hadn't have done that, you would have died, there was no way for you to dodge the bullet. You could barely see straight. I would have knocked the gun away or pulled you out of range, but there wasn't enough time." Japan stated, he'd gone on autopilot, he wasn't going to allow himself to invest anything in this conversation, because he knew that if it went to far he'd crack like a falling piece of glass striking the floor.

Glass already filled with chips and spiderweb cracks.

China had a fistful of Japan's blanket in his hand, he was leaning forward slightly towards Japan, a look of total shock on his face.

"I'd rather die than you, aru!"

Japan looked at him, cocking his head slightly, he looked upset by these words.

 _Nii...China-san would rather die than have me die for him? That makes no sense, he hates me._

Japan's mind was filled with like thoughts.

"Why do you even care?" He finally questioned.

China's eyes were wide and his breath was shallow as he sat back and looked at Japan with a look that was nothing like the ones he'd received from him in the years since he'd last seen that face smile.

Kiku looked at Yao's face, for a long moment he held tightly to that expression. It wasn't of hatred, it wasn't of anger, it wasn't of fear and it wasn't of sorrow. It was of concern, deep, biting concern.

 _For me._

Japan thought, he didn't understand why China was even here, why he was so worried, he didn't understand what came out when the older nation next spoke.

"Why _wouldn't_ I care?" China asked him.

Japan dropped his head, faraway brown eyes hazy.

"After what I did to you. I hurt you, almost killed you. I never...I never thought of what would happen when I woke up the next morning and realized, 'I actually attacked him, I actually hurt him.' But when I saw you in danger. When I saw Yong Soo about to die. Taiwan about to follow him. Li trapped and unable to escape. I realized that even if I could never again be your family, you would always be mine."

China felt stabbed by the force behind those words, they were still his family, the thought warmed his heart, but Japan thought he could never again be theirs, and it felt as though he'd just swallowed a cube of ice.

"I...I tried to convince myself..." Japan stuttered to continue.

"That you hated me, aru?"

Japan looked up at him in shock.  
"Maybe I woke up a few minutes earlier than I said I did." China remarked, tilting his head to match Japan's, with a warm smile on his face.

 _That smile, the last time I saw it was that night..._

Japan shuddered and shook his head, jarring away the thought.

The eldest nation reached out and wrapped his good arm around Japan, pulling him into a hug.

Japan's eyes were wide, not fathoming that this could be possible, the same nation he'd nearly murdered was now embracing him, with warmth him his arms and a smile gracing his face.  
"You know something, I may love Hello Kitty and talk to panda's and act childish and silly. But I'm four thousand years old, aru. As much as I hate to say it, I'm old, but I'm wise for it. I can forgive you, I would have forgiven you a long time ago if you'd just come out and apologized. I was afraid that you hated me, I truly was scared that you did, aru. But you never hated me. Or Mei, or Li, or Yong Soo, aru. You still care. All of us have come to care about you again, aru. I think the only person who hasn't forgiven you yet, is you."

China spoke with great strength, with great confidence in his words. Japan found himself doing something he'd not been able to do in many years gone by.

Japan believed China.

"I-I..."

Japan put his good arm around China, gripping at his shirt, holding him tightly like a child that had just awoken from a dark, shadowy, horror filled nightmare. Piece by piece, the mask he'd built up over the years of solitude cracked and fell away.

"I'm sorry. I'm s-so sorry." He choked out.

"It's alright. I forgive you."

* * *

 _ **Anyone else need a tissue? Theres still a few more chapters left in this one, so stick with me a little while longer! Please favorite, please follow, and especially for this chapter I want you to review and let me know how you think I did with Japan and China making up! I tried really hard to get it just right and keep them in character but I wanna hear how you think I did! So please review! Thanks for reading!**_


	10. A healed family with broken speakers

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

* * *

 _ **Ok, I couldn't resist, heres some of Japan getting the excitement of being trapped in a house with four siblings, that he'd missed out on over the past couple hundred years, enjoy!**_

* * *

Japan put his good arm around China, gripping at his shirt, holding him tightly like a child that had just awoken from a dark, shadowy, horror filled nightmare. Piece by piece, the mask he'd built up over the years of solitude cracked and fell away.

"I'm sorry. I'm s-so sorry." He choked out.

"It's alright. I forgive you."

"If he'd order us some pizza I'd, like, totally forgive him too."

China and Japan jumped apart, Japan still with tears cutting streams down his cheeks, and looked up to see Hong Kong leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed, a small smile growing larger on his face.

"Do you have anything but, like, fish and salt in this joint, mate?"

Taiwan was rubbing furiously at her eyes trying to convince them that she wasn't crying. Than Korea threw his arms into the air, the curl in his hair matched the joy on his own face.

"Yay! Everyone loves each other again! Group hug!"

The white garbed nation pounced on Kiku and hugged him around the neck to avoid his injures, it was the first time the two of them had shared so much as a kind touch in years.

"Yong Soo!" China laughed as Mei dragged an uncooperative Hong Kong over and grabbed Japan under one arm and China under the other with the youngest of the nations crushed in between.

"Not cool!" Hong Kong yelped as he struggled to free himself, but China locked his good arm around his shoulders and Li saw he didn't exactly have a choice, and threw an arm around Japan as well.

Japan, with his good arm having been thrown around Hong Kong's shoulders in the surprise of his little brother basically falling on top of him and having Taiwan and China's warm arms around him, feeling Hong Kong trapped between him and China, and Korea on his back, felt shocked.

 _Family..._

He thought as they shared that moment, warm, happy, and together for the first time in centuries past.

 _They'll always be my family..._

Japan closed his eyes and felt the tension leave his body relaxed and calm.

 _And now I'll alway be theirs._

* * *

All of them were sitting in the living room, at a table they had dragged in, eating dinner that China had whipped up since, and Hong Kong had been pissed to find out, Japan's home was too far out of the way for the pizza place to deliver. Japan had wanted to assist in cooking but, after having to be caught by Hong Kong and Korea when he'd attempted to stand, he forfeited the dinner preparations to China. Japan fiddled with the dumplings China had somehow found the ingredients to make.

 _Who knew eating the food I grew up on would make me feel so nostalgic._

Japan thought, pondering if the fact that he was sitting at a dinner table with the rest of his family was lending to the overwhelming feeling.

 _It's the first time in centuries times we were like this, meaning happy and laughing instead of in silence, Hong Kong still had to be fed and Taiwan was still pulling on Nii-san's hair, demanding that he let her braid it for him._

Japan felt a brief, very brief, almost impossible urge to allow a wide smile to breach his emotionless face at the memory of China sitting on his knees on the floor with his hands on his knees, a disgruntled look on his face as Taiwan braided his hair with ribbons and flowers. Hong Kong and Korea often teamed up to attempt to get China mad and make him chase them, which would result in his hair getting removed from his scalp what with Taiwan's death grip on it. All the while Japan would sit and watch, drawing or reading.

 _And occasionally whispering suggestions like using his Hello Kitty doll as a ball to Yong Soo and Li._

Thankfully, China's voice cut Japan's thoughts off before he could snort with laughter at the onslaught of hysterical memories.

It had been several hours since they'd convinced Japan to forgive himself for his sins and they'd been doing a lot of much needed catching up.

"What are you smirking about, aru?" China asked.

"I am not smirking." Japan replied, blank faced once again.

"No, no, I saw it, your were too!" Taiwan joined the conversation.

Japan shook his head, "Just an old memory being with all of you dredged up."

"Of what?" Korea asked, bouncing as he struggled to sit still at the table.

Japan simply shook his head again, China sighed.

"I'll be back, aru. I'm going to get more tea." He muttered as he pushed himself to his feet.

The second he was gone Japan whispered to his younger siblings.

"Remember when Mei would braid Nii-san's hair, fill it with flowers and bows, and than Yong Soo and Li would use his favorite kitty doll to play catch when Mei was forcing him to sit on the ground and hold still?"

All of them went still, faces going blank as they all relived the memory in there minds.

When China returned he found Japan smiling softly with his head tilted slightly to one side as all of the others attempted and failed to smother their giggles.

China furrowed his brow at them.

"What's so funny, aru?"

"Noooooothing."

They were all in perfect unison, and China looked exasperated.

"Aii-yah! Why is everyone laughing, aru!?" The fair haired nation demanded.

Taiwan simply smiled at him, "Just an old memory the little ones are sharing." She teased, "I don't think it is all to funny to you."

China frowned as he scoured all of their faces for a clue.

They all just looked back at him blankly.

"Speaking of memories, this reminds me of when all of you would be hiding a broken vase behind your backs and trying to convince me nothing was wrong. I'm just happy that this time it's probably Japan's vase and not mine."

To this, every except Japan laughed again.

China settled down at the table with a fresh pot of tea, and at that exact same Taiwan's hand shot up.

"I know!"

Everyone glanced up at Taiwan when she stood up fully with a wide smile on her face.

"We should be scared, shouldn't we?" Korea asked as Hong Kong tucked his cell phone up his sleeve.

"No!" Taiwan said, shaking her finger at him.

"Instead of going back to the guest house tonight, we should have a sleepover!"

"Everyone start running now!" Korea cried while Hong Kong dropped his chopsticks and gasped in mock horror.

"I do not know if that is a good idea." Japan said worriedly as he set down his own eating utensils, limited to a fork and spoon because, like China, he was stuck with one properly functioning hand.

"Why not, Kiku?" Taiwan asked.

"Well, we all know that Yong Soo will break something, it will either be Li's phone or your flower clips, he'll be violently attacked, and since both Nii-san and myself are held back by our injuries, we wouldn't be able to break you all up. Also, I enjoy having my house in one piece." Japan stated calmly.

"Downer." Taiwan said as Hong Kong made a 'wa wa waaaaa' sound and gave him a thumbs down.

"But I'm serious guys! It'll be fun, we can stay up late and talk and watch anime!"

"Suddenly, I think this might be alright." Japan muttered at the mention of an anime all night-er.

"Than what, we braid each others hair, maybe you and Nii-san but no way with the rest of us."

"Hey!" China protested the insult to his long locks of hair while Japan's eyes lit up a bit and Taiwan and Korea had to stifle more snorts at the reference to the memory they had all been sharing a few minutes before.

Hong Kong rolled his eyes, "Than we, like, paint our nails, than, like, totally bad mouth all of our enemies? What are we, like, a bunch of teenage girls?" Hong Kong asked.

"You certainly talk like one 'like, totally, Grandpa, I can, like, totes pick this lock so we can, like, ya know, break into Kiku-nii's house! Whoa, the poser totes needs a new security system!"

Taiwan said, making her voice high and nasally and flicking her wrist, China and Korea laughed and Japan gave up another small smile.

"Oh, shut up, I don't talk like that!" Hong Kong said unhappily.

"Uh-huh..." Mei said, making it quite clear that she was ignoring him.

"Well, I guess we could, aru. But..." China seemed hesitant to agree.

He glanced over at Hong Kong who looked back down at his phone.

"Whatever." He grumbled.

"I think it'll be fun!" Korea cheered.

"I suppose it's alright with me." Japan said, giving his consent.

China shrugged, "Well, if everyone agrees, than why not, aru?"

"Yay!" Taiwan cried.

"You, like, need a bigger TV Kiku." Hong Kong said as he looked at Japan's older television.

"Nothing is wrong with my TV, Li." Japan said unhappily.

"Except size, age, screen quality, speakers, and all around everything." Hong Kong grumbled.

"No complaining when your a guest, Li, aru." China said sternly.

"Sorry, _Mom_." The teen sniggered at the surprised look on China's face.

"Anyway..." Taiwan prompted.

"Bedding is in the hallway closet, there is more upstairs if necessary."

Japan said, gesturing with his uninjured arm.

"Ok, thanks Kiku-nii!"

"She only calls me that when I give her something or she wants something." Japan mumbled as Taiwan ran off into the hall.

"Get used to it, that's what happens when your part of a family, aru." China said as he patted Japan on the shoulder.

"Good to have you back, Kiku."

"Arigato. I am happy your all here." Japan said despite the blank look on his face.

Japan and China both snapped their heads up as the blaring noise of rock and roll blasted out of a set of speakers in the other room, which Hong Kong had run off into.

"Lucky I always carry a set!" Hong Kong called out.

"Oh! Oh! Let me see!" Korea scrambled on his hands and knees out the door and up to his little brother.

"Give it back, Yong Soo! That's, like, mine!" Hong Kong barked, wrestling with Korea for the controls.

"SHUT UP AND HELP ME YOU TWO!" Taiwan came barreling into the room, her arms laden with bedding, quilts, and pillows.

"You won't be getting _my_ help with that attitude!"

"What Li said!"

"Maybe you need some incentive!"

China and Japan winced as one when a loud slam echoed through the house and the music came to an abrupt stop.

"Ha! Missed me!"

"You broke my speakers!"

"GET BACK HERE!"

"Like, run!"

Japan sighed as the three of them whipped pass the hall doorway, Korea in the lead, Hong Kong with his arms flung out in front of him and his upper body thrown forward, and Taiwan with a frying pan raised up high over her head.

China jumped up and ran into the other room after them to break them up.

"CUT IT OUT, ARU!"

"Save me, Nii-san!"

"You, like, shattered my speakers!"

"It's not like you don't have five more sets just like them!"

"EVERYONE CALM DOWN, ARU!"

"Say's the guy waving around a giant spoon and screaming at us."

"Count yourself lucky I don't have my wok, aru!"

Japan flinched when loud crashes and screams and several different languages worth of profanity streamed from the doorway.

Japan tilted his head to one side, and, though no one was there to see it or hear him, he smiled.

"I guess getting used to this won't be so bad."

* * *

 _ **Yup, family fluff, something I am actually good at writing without being to down low or to over the top. I just love the chaos that seems to erupt whenever families get back together, don't you guys? Well, please favorite, please follow, please review! Next chapter is the last chapter, so I hope you'll all enjoy it! Thanks for reading!**_


	11. Family, today, tomorrow, always

**_TO SOME OF YOU WHO READ MY OTHER STORIES!_**

 ** _Like my previous and completed story, The Dragon's Journey Home, this story is_** ** _pre typed, so don't worry, my focus will not be leaving my other current stories! Also, thanks for reading more than one of my stories, I really appreciate it!_**

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 _ **I can't believe this is over so soon! I honestly loved writing this story and though it got less attention than some of my other works I don't care because I just had such a good time doing it! Well, thanks each and every one of you for reading, all of the reviews were read and re-read and re-re-read and great appreciated! Well, here we go, the last chapter of No Matter What. I hope you enjoy!**_

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The next morning

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"Japan! We're here!" Italy sang as he made his way up to the front door.

"Shut up, imbecile, he might still be asleep, it's only eight o'clock."

Germany ordered, Italy put a hand over his mouth.

"Sorry!" He squeaked.

Germany unlocked the door with the key Japan had given him and headed inside, rolling his feet silently against the floor while Italy tiptoed.

He peeked into the room that Japan had been set up to sleep in and gasped.

"What is it?" Italy crawled underneath Germany to look inside.

Japan was fast asleep, half covered with a blanket, with his uninjured arm under it and his injured one atop it, spread out to the side partly obscured, but he was surrounded by other futons, blankets, and pillows that had been collected from throughout the house. What surprised Germany hadn't been the extra bedding, it had been the four others curled beneath it.

China was hugging a pillow and was fast asleep, his ponytail had come undone and his hair splayed out wildly behind him, he in turn was being cuddled by Korea in his sleep. Korea had a blissful expression on his face, reminding Germany of what Italy looked like when he slept. Taiwan was curled up next to Japan, her head resting on his undamaged shoulder with her arm flung out over his chest. Hong Kong was stuck between China and Japan, the two of them close to either side. Blanket pulled up to his chin, both arms under the blanket as if he'd been tucked in, his mouth hanging open slightly as he dreamed.

All of them were covered up by a spread of blankets and pillows, they all seemed so serene and happy.

"Aww...they all made up." Italy sighed, smiling.

"I remember when Romano and I used to be able to sleep like that together, now he just tries to strangle me and mutters curses in our language."

"Somehow I don't doubt that." Germany mumbled.

"Say, did you ever sleep with Prussia like that?" Italy asked.

Germany's crystal blue eyes went wide and he shuddered.

"Nein." He said firmly.

The German cast his eyes across the nations of East Asia and allowed a smile to grace his features.

"Come. If he's got the four of them than nothing is going to happen to Japan. Let's go." The blonde said quickly to change the topic.

Italy and Germany exited the home, got in their car, and drove off before they could disturb the sleeping family.

On the floor, warm and content beneath the blankets, China opened his eyes a crack.

He opened them both fully after they'd left, he'd been awake for a few minutes before they'd come in.

The nation propped himself up slightly on his elbow, careful not to disturb Korea's arms wrapped around his neck.

 _Last we did this none of them could reach the countertop of the kitchen._

The eldest nation thought, tilting his head to one side slightly with a warm smile lighting up his face.

 _No matter how many wars, how many fights, how many harsh words we say to each other, we will always be a family._

China settled back down into the pillows and felt Korea's arms tighten around his neck and Hong Kong mumble something and roll over, curling into his oldest brother slightly as the blanket dropped away from his shoulders and down to his elbows.

The smile never left his face as the long haired nation, still careful not to awake Korea, reached out and gripped the blanket, pulling the covers back over the youngest member of his family, only causing him to snuggle closer.

 _If I tell him how cute and innocent he looks when he sleeps he won't believe me, and he certainly won't believe me if I tell him he was cuddling me and Korea._ The immortal chuckled under his breath at the thought.

China let out a heavy sigh, and it felt like a breath that he'd been holding since the day Japan had struck out against him, since the day he'd collapsed into the mud in a puddle of his own scarlet blood as his little brother walked away and didn't look back.

Yao looked over Hong Kong's slumbering form and allowed his eyes to linger on Japan's blank, sleeping face, his bangs slipped a little farther down his forehead with every breath his took. Taiwan right at his side, his other arm, China had now realized, had become Hong Kong's pillow. Japan, this was the first time for so long he saw him without worry creasing his face, without a struggle hidden away in those inky, bottomless brown eyes.

 _We'll always be a family._

China rested his head on his pillows and closed his eyes, allowing Japan lying side by side with the rest of his siblings to be the last thing he saw before sleep began to creep up on him yet again.

 _No matter what._

China's eyes closed, and the nations of East Asia slept on, together at last, now and forever.

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 ** _The end! Thanks so much for reading everyone. Please check out my other works, including my other story for the east asia countries, All the trouble that your worth, with Japan blowing stuff up! Who doesn't love Japan blowing stuff up? Thanks again, bye!_**

 ** _Also, I'm really looking out for reviews suggesting I do another East Asia family story. Maybe a fluffy AU idea, or another Japan apologizing fic with more angst. (Yes, Mondmaedchen, that was aimed at you.) Well, once again, thanks for reading!_**


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